


Animal Therapy

by engmaresh



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Reality, Animal Traits, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s09e05 Dog Dean Afternoon, Fluff, M/M, No Ezekiel | Gadreel, Overprotective Dean, Spells & Enchantments, human cas, in which dean finds his true calling as cas' weighted blanket and therapy animal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-14 15:30:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9189470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/engmaresh/pseuds/engmaresh
Summary: When the "dog mind meld" potion fails to wear off, well, at least it comes in handy when Dean brings a depressed Cas back to the bunker.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MrCastielWinchester (Azusa)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azusa/gifts).



> Note: This takes place in a healthier/happier reality where Sam recovers without needing to be possessed by Gadreel.

“What are you doing, Dean?” Sam hissed, hurrying after his older brother as he crossed the map room. Kevin trailed after him. “You can’t go like this! We still haven’t found a counterspell for your…” he gestured vaguely. “Dog thing.”

“Look,” Dean growled–and yes, it was an actual growl, with a deep rumble rising from his chest and bared teeth–“this is just a recon job. I go in, see if there’s anything we need to deal with, and then I’m out again.”

“I’m coming with you,” said Sam, a stubborn frown set across his face.

“Yeah,” muttered Kevin. “What if you bite someone?”

Dean, who had had already ascended halfway up the stair came clattering back down again, face twisted in a snarl. "No!"

Behind Sam, Kevin took a step back, then two, then decided to retreat to the kitchen for his own safety. And because this really wasn't any of his business and he was frankly getting tired of all the Winchester drama.

"Don't follow me," Dean warned. 

Sam sighed. "It's Cas. He's my friend too, Dean."

Another low rumble started to build in his brother's chest, and Sam threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine! Check out what's wrong. Call if you need any backup."

\-----

Dean wasn't all that surprised to find Castiel trying to live a normal human life. Yes, there was something uncomfortable watching the former angel go about the motions like any other sad sack of a human, and there’d always been something about Cas that had made him seem more ethereal than the rest of his dick siblings, even when he’d been depowered during the apocalypse. But human Cas working as a Gas'n'Sip sales associate? That was something even more unexpected to Dean. He'd expected something nerdier, like a librarian or a teacher.

"I need qualifications for those other jobs, Dean," Castiel hissed as he rearranged a shelf of chips. "Please stop following me around the store, you're going to scare away customers."

Indeed, a teenage girl was watching them from the toiletry aisle, looking like she was seconds away from calling the cops.

Dean shook himself. It was that stupid dog spell that he'd cast when he and Sam had tried to communicate with the Colonel in Oklahoma. It was wearing off, but very slowly. Every now and then when a particularly strong emotion seized him, he'd feel overwhelmed by the urge to bark or growl. He'd even found himself turning circles on his bed before flopping down to sleep for the past few nights. And then there'd been that one conversation he'd ended up having with a mouse in the library. Kevin had set down traps the night before, and boy had that rat given Dean a piece of its mind.

Then there’d been that morning, during which the thought of taking a literal bite out of Sam had zipped through his head. It had been brief, and Dean had managed to tamp it down, but that didn’t make it any less fucking freaky.

"Um, yeah," muttered Dean, taking several steps away with much difficulty. He was also pretty glad he hadn't yet felt any urge to, as the Colonel had put it "sniff butts". Or hump anything. Well anyone, but hey, it’s not like he'd never jerked off in Baby before. Now just...on it. "Um, there was a case."

Castiel turned around, looking serious. "What happened?"

"Eh, just an organ-eating witch dude."

Cas squinted at him. "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing, nothing!" He grabbed Cas by the sleeve and dragged him back to the counter. "Just...needed a spell to solve the case, it’s wearing off."

"Dean..." Cas began, then sighed. "I'm not an angel anymore. I can't help you."

He gave Dean a look, one of those penetrating gazes that now comforted more than unnerved him, because they were just so...Cas. "Be careful, Dean," he said, then bent over the counter to reach for something behind it.

Oh shit. Dean felt it now. Not quite the urge to, ugh, sniff butts, but, Cas' butt, it was just there...and it was a nice butt. Dammit!

"Gotta go, C-uh, Steve. Take care."

The doorbell chimed as he left. Cas hadn't even straightened up before he was gone.

\----

"But you said-," Cas said as he tried to open the door, only to have Dean lean across the passenger side and hold it shut. "Dean."

"Look, Cas," Dean tried say as reasonably as he possibly could. "You almost got smited–smote-by another angel. Who hones in on despair and depression. And look-," he adds when Cas looked about to interrupt. "I know, look who’s talking. I'm not exactly the best example-far from it, but I can't in good conscience leave you alone."

He gave into the urge to scratch his ear. "Also this spell is driving me nuts, you have no idea."

Cas gave him a wry smile. "What I've learned from watching you and Sam was enough to keep alive these past few weeks, Dean. Don't underestimate yourself. And you really should look for a counterspell if it’s still influencing you that much."

Dean curled his hand into a fist, but unable to resist the temptation, resumed scratching his ear. "It's not that bad, I mean," he took his hand away from his head and forced it to curl around the steering wheel. "It's distracting sometimes but I can handle it." At that moment a cat chose to stroll across the parking lot. Dean felt a shout-no, a bark rise up in his throat. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep it in.

Cas looked at him with uncertainty. "I could stay with you until it wears off."

Dean sighed. "Let me give Sam a call."

\-------

"Cas!" The moment the former angel stepped through the door of the bunker, he immediately found himself swallowed by a tight hug from Sam.

"Jesus, Sam," muttered Dean, immediately wedging an arm between them, bitting a back a snarl that threatened to curl his lip. "Give the guy some breathing space."

"It's just a hug, Dean."

"Well, back off," snapped Dean, and this time he did bare his teeth.

"Wow," said Sam, taking a step back. "Looks like that spell hasn't worn off yet."

Cas looked around the map room, venturing hesitantly forward like he still wasn't quite sure he was welcome. "C'mon, Cas," said Dean clapping him on the back and leading him towards the kitchen. "Let's get you something to eat and then we'll catch you up on some pop culture now that you're human."

"What are you looking at?" he growled at Kevin who had ventured forth from his room to see what was going on.

"Hey, I'm just passing by," Kevin snapped defensively. "Hi, Castiel."

"Hello, Kev-" was all that Castiel managed before he was dragged along by Dean.

"Spell still hasn't worn off, huh?" Kevin asked, looking up at Sam who watched the two head off to the kitchen with a frown on his face.

"Doesn’t seem like it," Sam said. 

\----

He was still researching in the library when Kevin came in with a glass of water in his hand and a hangdog look on his face.

“I want to clarify,” he began, “that when I say I hate your brother, it’s not because I’m homophobic or anything. But we’re here researching and he’s watching TV with his boyfriend and snuggling.”

“What,” said Sam, getting to his feet. 

“Yeah,” muttered Kevin. “It’s gross, in that gag me saccharine kind of way. Ugh.”

“And you know what,” he added, as he sauntered after the younger Winchester, who in true younger brother manner couldn’t resist a chance to spy on his older brother. “I don’t even think he’s under the potion’s influence anymore. Threw a paper ball in there and no reaction. And he didn’t even yell at any of the animals on TV.”

\-----

In the common area, on a sofa Sam and Dean had procured and dragged through the garage and into the living spaces (since the Men of Letters did not seem to believe in comfortable chairs), Cas relaxed back and watched John McClane hunt terrorists in a skyscraper.

He winced when the action hero cut his feet on broken glass. “It’s admirable how humans keep going despite the pain and adversity you face,” he murmured.

“It’s just a movie,” Dean mumbled from the region of his chest. After making sure Cas was comfortably settled on the sofa with everything he needed within reach, he’d draped a blanket over the former angel and then, well, followed with himself. Like a big friendly dog. That really loved head scratches.

Cas continued to absently run his hand through Dean’s hair. Short as it was, there wasn’t much of it to stroke but the sense of calm the action invoked was...nice. Settling. He especially like the little prickles in his palm when he ran his hand against the grain where Dean’s hair was clipped particularly close to the skin, such as the back of his head.

“Thank you for insisting I come back,” he said softly. “This...is helping. Somehow.”

“Because petting animals releases serotonin,” Kevin’s voice chimed over the back of the sofa. At the same time paper ball came sailing over the back, and bounced off Dean’s head onto the floor. Dean’s leg twitched, but otherwise he didn’t stir from his location.

“Looks like the spell has worn off,” Sam remarked.

Dean groaned, and thunked his head gently against Cas’ breastbone. “Go away!” But he shifted as if about to rise.

Cas ignored them. He curled his hand over the nape of Dean’s neck, and the other man sank back down and began to relax again. How strange the human body, his human body, that it would find comfort this vulnerable position, in the heavy, constricting embrace of Dean’s body.

He closed his eyes. “Thank you for being here with me.”


End file.
